Green Party anger at home sell-off

AN EMPTY home is to be sold by Sheffield Council due to the high cost of bringing it up to a good standard of repair – despite opposition from a Green Party councillor.

Sheffield Council’s ruling cabinet approved plans to sell off 28 Chippinghouse Road at Sharrow, which needs more than £25,000 of investment.

Officers say the amount – compared to £10,000 to bring the average council house up to standards – is too high to justify.

But Green Party central ward councillor, Rob Murphy, said: “There is a severe lack of affordable housing in Sheffield and across the country. Over the years various administrations have blamed government rules and the Right to Buy scheme, but here Sheffield Homes are proposing to sell a council-owned home into the private sector.

“I’m regularly contacted by people desperate for a council house in the area, some who have been on the waiting list for decades. To deal with the housing shortage the Government and council should be investing in more homes, not selling off the ones we have.”

In a report to Sheffield Council’s cabinet, officers said: “The amount that must be spent is not considered sufficient value for money.”